The 7 Most Popular Backend Languages to Learn in 2020

With so many companies, big and small, needing backend coders, learning a new language in 2020 is a great way to stay relevant or possibly land a perfect new job. 

Companies as well known as Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, and more, are investing in their backend programming. They're using a variety of languages, depending on their specific needs. Put yourself ahead of the game by learning one of the most popular backend languages.

There are a ton of backend languages being used. Knowing which one to focus on during 2020 is important. Think about what kind of work you want to do or what kind of work your company needs. Choose the language (or languages) that fits those needs best.

To help you work out which one you should learn this year, we've pulled together 7 of the most popular backend languages in a handy list. Read on to learn more and see which one fits your needs best.

The Most Popular Backend Languages

There are many backend coding languages to choose from, but learning at least one of this list of the seven most popular backend languages is a good place to start. 

1. Python

Fast, simple, and pretty much everywhere. That's how to describe Python.

Learning Python will put you in line with startups and established companies. You'll be better placed on the job market. You'll have a foundational language to use for learning others, too.

It's open-source, so there's a large Python community, which makes learning it much easier. You'll also benefit from the community's support once you know how to code it.

Python is great for scaling tasks and testing out ideas, and it supports many different platforms and other systems.

2. Java

This oldie but goodie has been around for a long time, but it keeps going. Major companies have adopted it because it works so well for large-scale web applications.

It's most commonly used for developing Android apps. If you want to work for a company that does this or you need your company to create Android apps, Java is one of the best languages to learn.

There's a ton of open-source libraries to use. It has a stack allocation system. And, it's great for distributed computing. 

For newbies to coding, it's also one of the easiest languages to learn.

3. Go

Go, or Golang, is a newer entry on the list of most popular backend languages. Developed by Google, it's used by a lot of Silicon-valley based companies. It supports multithreading and is great for companies with distributed systems.

It's not the easiest of the languages to learn to code, but it is supported by Google, which makes it more popular. At the same time, because it uses a cleaner syntax than some languages, it is relatively straightforward to learn once you get the basics.

It's fast and is great for single-page applications. It's more secure than some languages because it is a statically typed language.

4. C++

The versatile C++ is another language that has been around for a while. It's used for operating systems and file systems. These low-level systems use C++ because it is the everyday workhorse of coding. 

C++ is also one of the most popular backend languages because it forms the basis for more complicated languages. If you learn C++ you'll have the foundation to learn more complicated languages.

It's highly portable, works well for multi-device app development, and is perfect for real-time simulation of math problems. Because it's been around for a while and is so widely used, there's also a massive library to work with. Plus, tons of other coders to use as a community to learn from.

5. PHP

PHP has had challenges from Python and Javascript in recent years, but it holds its place on the list of most popular backend languages to learn. Lots of well-established companies use PHP to develop their backend operations.

It's easy to learn, and it works well as a starting point for building web pages. Because it's been around for a while, debugging has become an artform in PHP. Its longevity also means there's a big community of fellow PHP coders to use as a resource.

That large community and the big list of companies that use it mean there are lots of automation tools and frameworks for a coder to use.

6. C#

Microsoft developed C# as a general-purpose language. It's widely used for backend programming and building Microsoft cell-phone apps.

It's not as easy to learn as some languages, and it has specific Microsoft uses, but it is a solid choice to put on your list of languages to learn.

With Microsoft behind it, there are automated updates, and it works well for scaling functions. It uses a syntax that is similar to C++. It is quick to compile, and you can execute functions speedily. 

7. Kotlin

Kotlin is a general-purpose language that was designed to interact seamlessly with Java. In fact, it is quickly overtaking Java as more and more companies start using it. It won't be long before Google starts promoting Kotlin over Java.

The reason it is surpassing Java is that Kotlin was written to fix most of Java's issues. 

This open-source language is easy to learn. It's perfect for Android app development. Its simplicity also makes it great for web development and both desktop and server development. 

If you want to work on Android-related coding, you need to put Kotlin on your list of languages to learn. As we move through 2020, more and more companies will need people with Kotlin expertise. Kotlin even has a Notepad++ for Mac extension.

Learn a New Backend Language This Year

If you're looking to expand your coding capabilities, this list of 7 of the most popular backend languages will get you started.

There's a little bit of everything here, depending on what kind of applications or systems you want to develop.

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